Liverpool players returned to training on Tuesday for the first time since the heartbreaking death of forward Diogo Jota.
The club had postponed the start of pre-season preparations after Jota, 28, and his brother, Andre Silva, tragically died in a car crash in northern Spain last Thursday.
Manager Arne Slot, along with several members of the squad including captain Virgil van Dijk, attended Jota’s funeral on Saturday in his hometown of Gondomar, near Porto.
Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, Conor Bradley, and Wataru Endo were among those seen arriving at the training facility. In an emotional tribute, Salah expressed how difficult it was to return, writing:
“Teammates come and go but not like this. It’s going to be extremely difficult to accept that Diogo won’t be there when we go back.”
A memorial site has been established at Anfield, where fans and former players have left hundreds of flowers, shirts, scarves, and photos in honour of the Portuguese international.
Liverpool’s first pre-season friendly is scheduled for Sunday against Preston, but ticket sales have been paused as the club decides whether the match will proceed.
The Reds are also set to travel to Asia for a tour later this month, with games lined up against AC Milan in Hong Kong and Yokohama Marinos in Japan.
